Genealogy Report: Descendants of Johann Jost (Justus) Heuser
Descendants of Johann Jost (Justus) Heuser
1.JOHANN JOST (JUSTUS)2 HEUSER(PETER1) was born February 23, 1838 in Roedenau, Hessia, Germany, and died April 16, 1928 in Mount Horeb, Dane County, Wisconsin.He married (1) AUGUSTA WILHAMINE CAROLINE FENSTER 1862, daughter of JOHANN FENSTERER and MARIE OPPERMAN.She was born June 22, 1841 in Ringleben, Kyffausen-Artern, Germany, and died March 30, 1872 in Blue Mounds, Dane County, Wisconsin.He married (2) MARY STEYER June 7, 1873, daughter of FERDINAND STEIER and CHRISTIANA STEIER.She was born March 15, 1852 in Blue Mounds Township, Dane County, Wisconsin, and died April 9, 1935 in Mt Horeb, Dane County, Wisconsin.
Notes for JOHANN JOST (JUSTUS) HEUSER:
Justus HEUSER, was born in Germany, 23 February,1838. He married Augusta FENSTER, when he was 24 years old, and they had three children: Annie, wife of Henry MAURER, of Mt. Horeb; Frank, a farmer in Blue Mounds township; and Catherine, at home. Tragedy struck in 1872 when Justus lost Augusta during childbirth, after the had enjoyed ten years of faithful companionship. NeitherAugusta nor the infant she was delivering survived this fateful event. His second wife was, Mary STEYER, and they had eight children: Augusta, Emma, Ida, Peter, Pauline, Freddie, Willie and Adolph.
Justus purchased 160 acres of land from his father on November 14, 1864 for the sum of six hundred dollars. The 1870 Agricultural census, listed the value of the land at twenty-five hundred dollars.Livestock of Justus Heuser was listed as the following: 5 horses, 4 milk cows, 10 other cows and 6 hogs with a value of five hundred and thirty dollars. At the time he also owned 630 bushels of wheat, 150 bushels of corn and 260 bushels of oats. As a farmer he was very successful and by 1893 owned 3 farms totalling 405 acres. These farms included the homestead in German Valley and the Fred Heuser farm.
Justus Heuser gave a Warranty Deed for a small parcel of land to the German Lutheran Church to be used for a church and a Cemetery, on November 25, 1867. He participated to a large extent in the early development and growth of the Lutheran Church in German Valley. The German Valley Cemetery is where this property is located. In February 1886, he transferred title to an additional piece of property to the trustees of the German Lutheran Church to be used for the site of a parsonage for the pastor. During the following years, more land was sold by Justus Heuser for a school house and for a cheese factory. Farmers organized the the German Valley Cheese Company in 1888 and built a cheese factory on German Valley road. Farmers hauled milk to the factory and there they met there neighbors and exchanged news each day. The school was built on land sold by Justus Heuser to School District No. 9, Blue Mounds, in a Warranty Deed dated June 21, 1899, it was known as the German Valley School.
A one hundred and twenty acre tract of land in German Valley which was later to become the Frank Heuser farm was purchased by Justus Heuser from Hans Hanson on April 4, 1884 for a sum of $3600. Justus would purchase a farm, turn it over to one of his sons, and then the son in turn would repay him for the farm in due time. Justus assisted each of his sons to become established in farming as they grew up and married.
Justus Heuser always talked in High German. This was the dialect of the highlands in the southern part of Germany. Low German and High German are strictly geographical in origin and have no relationship with social class. there were none who would contradict Justus Heuser or argue with him because everyone had so much respect for him, remembered Katherine Heuser. Besides, he "would not have stood for it" if any one would have disputed him, she said.
In 1907 Justus moved out of German Valley to a farm to a farm just north of highway 151, leaving Peter Heuser to manage and eventually purchase the original homestead. When Justus retired from farming in 1911 and moved to Mt. Horeb, he left his son, William, to operate the farm north of Highway 151. He built a house a 316 West Main Street and lived there the rest of his life. He supervised the construction of the house carefully and if a board wasn't "just right" he would throw it aside. How the carpenters hated to see him coming! The house was built entirely of oak.
Justus continued to be interested in the world around him and he could be found sitting on the porch reading his newspaper. Dr. Evans had a hospital at the west end of Mt Horeb. He frequently walked from his office in town to the hospital, past the home of Justus. He was a good friend of Justus and frequently stopped to converse with him on the front porch. Justus would spend hours reading the family bible. He was fond of smoking his favorite pipe , while sitting in the kitchen, Christine Disrud recalled. Mary Heuser was not a talkative woman but she was a hard worker and a wonderful cook.
Justus and Mary Heuser celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Thursday, June 7, 1923 in the German Lutheran Church of Mt. Horeb. About 200 attended the memorable occasion. Another milestone occurred on February 23, 1928, when all of the children, grandchildren and a number of friends gathered at his home to celebrate the ninetieth birthday. The weather was favorable and the spirit of the numerous guest was at the highest. There were so many gathered that they filled the house to overflowing. Justus was privileged to find himself in good health. He was so deeply moved when those assembled sang "Happy Birthday" that he cried aloud, Annie Heuser recalled.
The deterioration and uncertainties of advanced age, which Justus had escaped for so many years, finally arrived. After a short illness with pneumonia, Justus Heuser passed away peacefully, at his home, at 2 o'clock Monday morning, April, 16, 1928. Justus was 90 years, 1 month, 23 days. The following verse was printed in his obituary, expressing the feelings of his children: "Dearest father thou has left us. And thy loss we deeply feel. But 'tis God who has bereft us. He can all our sorrows heal. But in Heaven we hope to meet Thee. When our days on earth are fled. Then once more in joy to greet Thee. Where no parting tears are shed".
More About JOHANN JOST (JUSTUS) HEUSER:
Burial: April 19, 1928, Mount Horeb Union Cemetery, Mount Horeb, Dane County, Wisconsin
Cause of Death: Broncho Pneumonia/ Contibutory Senility
Church: German Valley Lutheran Church
Elected: April 1, 1879, Board of Supervisors of the town of Blue Mounds.
Nationality: German
Naturalization: September 1906
Occupation: Farmer
Notes for AUGUSTA WILHAMINE CAROLINE FENSTER:
[v12t1217]Auguste Wilhemine Caroline Fensterer
1841 - 1872
IV.Auguste Wilhemine Caroline Fensterer was the second child of 'Fred' and 'Caroline'.She was born June 22, 1841 at Ringleben, Germany.She died in 1872.She was married in 1862 to Justus "Gus" Heuser for 11 years.He was born in Germany and died in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin in 1946.He became a naturalized citizen in September 1906.They had 3 children; Frank, Anna and Katharine. Augusta died while giving birth to her fourth child. The infant also did not survive this fateful event.
More About AUGUSTA WILHAMINE CAROLINE FENSTER:
Burial: April 1872, German Valley Cemetery, Town of Blue Mounds, Dane County, Wisconsin
Church: German Valley Lutheran Church
Nationality: German
Children of JOHANN HEUSER and AUGUSTA FENSTER are:
2. | i. | FRANK DANIEL3 HEUSER, b. March 29, 1867, Germany Valley, Town of Blue Mounds, Mount Horeb, Dane County, Wisconsin; d. August 30, 1946, Madison General Hospital, Madison,Dane County, Wisconsin. | |
3. | ii. | KATHERINE HEUSER, b. April 30, 1869; d. December 13, 1957. | |
4. | iii. | ANNA WILHELMINA HEUSER, b. February 24, 1864; d. September 25, 1932, Verona, Wisconsin. |
Children of JOHANN HEUSER and MARY STEYER are:
iv. | AUGUSTA DORTHEA3 HEUSER, b. February 14, 1875, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. June 30, 1952, Mt. Horeb, Dane Co., WI; m. JOHN KAHL, January 2, 1896; b. WFT Est. 1850-1877; d. WFT Est. 1901-1964. | ||
v. | EMMA KATHERINE HEUSER, b. September 15, 1876, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. January 22, 1962, Madison, Dane Co., WI; m. REV. ANTON MAULWURF, September 7, 1899; b. WFT Est. 1853-1879; d. WFT Est. 1904-1966. | ||
vi. | IDA HEUSER, b. September 13, 1878, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. September 12, 1931, Mt. Horeb, Dane Co.,WI; m. CARL ARNOLD, April 4, 1906, Verona, WI; b. WFT Est. 1858-1886; d. WFT Est. 1911-1971. | ||
vii. | INFANT HEUSER, b. August 10, 1880, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co.,WI; d. August 10, 1880, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI. | ||
viii. | PETER HEUSER, b. December 3, 1881, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. August 15, 1964, Madison, Dane Co., WI; m. GERTRUDE BECKER, March 7, 1909, German Valley, Mt Horeb, Wi.; b. WFT Est. 1871-1892; d. WFT Est. 1914-1981. | ||
ix. | PAULINE HEUSER, b. March 5, 1885, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. November 5, 1974, Waterloo, Blackhawk Co., IA; m. FRED WILLIAMS, December 19, 1917, Mt. Horeb, WI; b. WFT Est. 1867-1897; d. WFT Est. 1922-1982. | ||
x. | FRED HEUSER, b. October 10, 1887, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. May 7, 1951, Madison, Dane Co., WI; m. ELLA RISCHMUELLER HEUSER, February 2, 1910, Leland, Sauk Co., WI; b. WFT Est. 1872-1896; d. WFT Est. 1915-1984. | ||
xi. | WILLIAM HEUSER, b. November 23, 1889, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. August 25, 1969, Verona, Dane Co., WI; m. KATHARINE THOUSAND HEUSER, October 25, 1911, Mt. Horeb, WI; b. WFT Est. 1873-1897; d. WFT Est. 1916-1986. | ||
xii. | ADOLPH HEUSER, b. March 10, 1892, Blue Mounds Township, Dane Co., WI; d. June 30, 1954, Rural Blue Mounds, Dane Co., WI; m. ANNIE LUKKEN HEUSER, Private; b. Private; d. Unknown. |
More About ANNIE LUKKEN HEUSER: Event 1: Private |